overfishing Flashcards
Why is overfishing considered one of the most serious threats to coral reefs?
Overfishing occurs when marine creatures are caught faster than they can reproduce, leading to depletion of species and ecosystem damage.
How does overfishing affect marine ecosystems?
Overfishing leads to shifts in community structure, reduced species diversity, loss of keystone species, negative impacts on reef processes, and reduced resilience.
What are fishing nurseries, and why are they important?
Fishing nurseries are areas where young fish live before they can reproduce. Overfishing in these areas depletes fish stocks and reduces future recruitment.
What is indiscriminate fishing?
Indiscriminate fishing involves catching fish regardless of whether they are valuable, leading to overexploitation of fish populations and ecosystem imbalance.
What are the historical causes of coral reef decline?
While climate change is the current largest driver, human activities have been degrading coral reefs for centuries, with historical reconstructions showing a hierarchy of decline among species.
What is the impact of overfishing on tropical marine ecosystems?
Overfishing leads to direct and indirect shifts in community structure, reduced species diversity, loss of keystone species, negative effects on reef processes, and lower resilience.
What are shifting baselines in the context of coral reefs?
Shifting baselines refer to how we judge coral reef health based on current conditions, making it unrealistic to compare reefs now to how they were centuries ago due to ongoing changes.
How does dynamite blast fishing damage coral reefs?
Introduced during WWII, blast fishing uses explosives to stun fish, reducing reef patches to rubble. This makes it very difficult for corals to regrow, leading to long-term damage.
What is growth overfishing?
Too many fish caught before they reach maturity
What is recruitment overfishing?
Reproductive failure due to depletion of breeders
What is demographic overfishing?
Fish of one age caught, less diverse, poor survival
What is genetic overfishing?
Overfishing leads to a change in the gene pool
What is serial overfishing?
When one species of fish is targeted after another
What is ecosystem overfishing?
Loss of key species due to overfishing, causes a long term community change
